Digital Commons Network^™

Cooperative Localization In Wireless Networked Systems, Mauricio Castillo-Effen

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

A novel solution for the localization of wireless networked systems is presented. The solution is based on cooperative estimation, inter-node ranging and strap-down inertial navigation. This approach overrides limitations that are commonly found in currently available localization/positioning solutions. Some solutions, such as GPS, make use of previously deployed infrastructure. In other methods, computations are performed in a central fusion center. In the robotics field, current localization techniques rely on a simultaneous localization and mapping, (SLAM), process, which is slow and requires sensors such as laser range finders or cameras.

One of the main attributes of this research is the holistic …

The Effects Of Mentoring On The Elementary Special Education Mentor, Maria Angeliadis

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Increasingly, mentor programs are being developed in teacher education programs to assist novice teachers. The focus in most of the literature on mentoring is on the new teacher being mentored. While the mentor teacher appears to be the most crucial element in mentoring programs (Feinman-Nemser, 1992; Little, 1990; White, 1995), there is not much information about how a teacher experiences being a mentor or the perceived benefits to a mentor.

The purpose of this present study was to examine the effects of mentoring on mentors in order to: (a) address the gap in the literature by exploring the effects of …

The Model-Based Systematic Development Of Logis Online Graphing Instructional Simulator, Darrel R. Davis

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

This Developmental Research study described the development of an interactive online graphing instructional application and the impact of the Analysis Design Development Implementation Evaluation (ADDIE) model on the development process. An optimal learning environment was produced by combining Programmed Instruction and Adaptive Instruction principles with a graphing simulator that implemented guided contingent practice. The development process entailed the creation and validation of three instruments measuring knowledge, skills, and attitudes, which were components of the instruction.

The research questions were focused on the influence of the ADDIE model on the development process and the value of the LOGIS instructional application. The …

Political Pedagogy And Art Education With Youth In A Street Situation In Salvador, Brazil: An Ethnographic Evaluation Of The Street Education Program Of Projeto Axé, Lance A. Arney

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Projeto Axé is a non-governmental organization that carries out political-pedagogical work and art education for children and adolescents living in a street situation in Salvador, Bahia, Brazil. I conducted an exploratory ethnographic study with Projeto Axé's Street Education program in order to observe its day-to-day activities and to conduct a utilization-focused program evaluation (Patton 1997) of its pedagogical praxis. This thesis will describe how ethnographic fieldwork methods are interwoven with the political-pedagogical approaches of Projeto Axé's Street Education program and explain how street educators attempt to construct citizenship with participants in the Street Education program. Findings are based on an …

Clear Speech Effects For Vowels Produced By Monolingual And Bilingual Talkers, Teresa Demasi

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

'Clear speech' is a speaking style that talkers often employ when they know they may have trouble being understood, as when speaking in noise or to a person with a hearing loss. When 'clear speech' produced by native talkers is presented in noise to native listeners, it has been shown to be about 10-15 percentage points more intelligible, on average, than normally produced speech. Recent research has shown that bilingual listeners may experience a smaller intelligibility benefit than monolingual listeners from 'clear speech' produced by monolingual talkers. The present study compares the ability of monolingual and bilingual talkers to produce …

An Evaluation Of Movement Patterns And Effects Of Habitat Patch Size On The Demography Of The Florida Mouse (Podomys Floridanus), Irmgard Lukanik

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Habitat degradation by humans has been the main reason for the decline in numbers of P. floridanus, the only mammal indigenous to the state of Florida, in the past century. The mouse inhabits what remains of scrub and sandhill associations, which are characterized by patches of sandy soils within a more mesic landscape. It has long been accepted that small populations are more prone to decline and extinction than are larger ones as a result of environmental fluctuations. I hypothesized that the demography of a population of P. floridanus would be affected by a restriction in numbers through habitat …

Effects Of Clear Speech And Linguistic Experience On Acoustic Characteristics Of Vowel Production, Michelle Bianchi

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

The present study investigated the hypothesis that later and/or early learners of English as a second language may exhibit an exaggerated or restricted degree of change in their production performance between clear and conversational speech styles for certain acoustic cues. Monolingual English talkers (MO), early Spanish-English bilinguals (EB) and late Spanish-English bilinguals (LB) were recorded using both clear and conversational speaking styles. The stimuli consisted of six target vowels /i, I, e, E, ae/ and /a/, embedded in /bVd/ context. All recorded target-word stimuli were isolated into words. Vowel duration was computed, and fundamental frequency (F0), and formant frequency values …

Geomorphology Of Submarine Spring West Of Fort Myers, Florida, Shihadah M. Saleem

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

In March of 2000, March of 2001, and April of 2002, multibeam bathymetry and backscatter data were collected, which revealed several low-temperature hydrothermal submarine springs in the Mudhole Submarine Springs (MHSS) area that were investigated by SCUBA divers. High-resolution multibeam sonar provides a precise way of defining the geomorphology of the seafloor. The bathymetry data were used to understand (1) vent geomorphology and how it varied from vent to vent; (2) spatial patterns of active vents compared to extinct vents and known land springs identified by Kohout (1977) and Breland (1980); and (3) potential correlations between geochemical and geomorphological characteristics …

Improving Pediatric Cardiology Consultation Methods By Introducing Digital Interactive 3-D Heart Models: A Proof Of Concept Study, Adam Verigan

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of a pediatric cardiology consultation is to inform, or educate, the patient and family of all aspects surrounding a certain congenital heart defect. Consultation education methods and materials may include verbal descriptions, two-dimensional (2-D) heart diagrams, and take-home pamphlets. Because the human heart is a complex three-dimensional (3-D) object, the problem lies within the clarity to which these methods are performed by the doctors and understood by the patients and families. Therefore, during a consultation the cardiologist must a) possess the ability to describe a defect visually as well as verbally and b) ensure that the patient and …

The Use Of Microarrays In The Detection Of The Gene Expression Of Ribulose- 1,5- Bisphosphate Carboxylase/Oxygenase (Rubisco) In The Marine Environment, Kathryn Lafaye Bailey

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

The Calvin-Benson-Bassham (CBB) pathway is the primary pathway for the entry of inorganic carbon in the biosphere. Autotrophic organisms use this cycle to ultimately convert CO₂ into carbohydrates using a key enzyme known as ribulose-1,5-bisphosphate carboxylase/oxygenase (RubisCO). The gene that encodes for the large subunit of RubisCO is rbcL and detection of its expression can be used to determine the autotrophic organisms present in the environment. Recently, microarrays have been used to study functional gene expression from environmental samples such as those obtained from sediments and soil. The purpose of this thesis is to combine microarray technology and rbcL …

Identity Politics: Postcolonial Theory And Writing Instruction, Toni P. Francis

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

In this dissertation I intend to apply postcolonial theory to primary pedagogical and administrative concerns of the writing program administrator. Writing Program Administrators, or WPAs, take their responsibilities seriously, remaining cognizant of both the negative and positive repercussions of the pedagogical decisions that take shape in the scores of composition classrooms they administer. This dissertation intends to infuse the WPA position with the ethos of scholarly praxis by historicizing and contextualizing the field of composition, and by placing the teaching of writing within the historical memory of slavery and colonialism. Sound WPA research is theoretically informed, systematic, principled inquiry that …

Prediction Of English And Spanish Early Literacy Skills Of English Language Learners In The Primary Grades, Giselle Sanchez

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

This study explored how language, emergent literacy, and reading skills in both English and Spanish develop with a group of English language learners (ELLs) (n = 267). Specifically, the researcher investigated what early language and literacy skills were the most important predictors of reading abilities as indicated by the Book Task in prekindergarten through first grade. Early language and literacy skills were assessed utilizing subtest from the Woodcock Language Proficiency Batter - Revised, the Woodcock Language Proficiency Battery - Revised - Spanish Form and the Phonological Awareness Task. Participants came from households where Spanish was one of the languages spoken. …

Wheelchair Positioning And Pulmonary Function In Children With Cerebral Palsy, Lee Barks

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Background: In children with cerebral palsy (CP), poor trunk control fosters spinal deformity, pulmonary compromise (Canet, et al., 1998), increased health risks, and costs of long-term care (Braddock, 2001). Evidence links posture and pulmonary function, but influence of wheelchair parameters on pulmonary mechanics is unknown.

Objectives: 1) Determine relative contribution of five wheelchair configuration parameters to improvement in pulmonary mechanics--total airway resistance (RAW), tidal volume, minute ventilation (MV), and deadspace to tidal volume ratio; 2) Describe recruitment and retention of school-aged children with CP; and 3) Discuss response of the participants to the protocol.

Method: This within-subjects, descriptive study employed …

The Relationships Among Pain, Dyspnea, Constipation And Quality Of Life In Lung Cancer Patients Enrolled In A Hospice Program, Lisa A. Laches

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

There is evidence of a relationship between pain and associated symptoms, specifically constipation and dyspnea, and quality of life. Literature supports that endstage lung cancer patients suffer more symptoms than those with other types of cancers, and the course of treatment is primarily palliative, as many of these diagnosed patients cannot be cured. The purpose of this secondary analysis of data was to evaluate the relationships between pain and other common symptoms in end stage lung cancer patients in hospice care, and the relationships among pain, dyspnea, constipation and quality of life. The study sample included fifty lung cancer patients …

Effects Of Dual Language Learning On Early Language And Literacy Skills In Low Income Preschool Students, Vanessa Tápanes

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

This paper presents a framework for literacy skill development relating to both monolingual and dual language learners. The purpose of this study was to identify the differences that may exist between monolingual and dual language learners' performance on literacy tasks, before having a significant amount of exposure to the preschool curriculum. The sample included 78 monolingual language learners and 44 dual language learners who were assessed using the Woodcock Language Proficiency Battery-Revised (WLPB-R). The researcher used scoring methods that took into consideration split vocabulary in dual language learners where a conceptual scoring technique was used (Bedore, Pena, Garcia, & Cortez, …

Perceptions Of School Based Mental Health Services By Directors And Supervisors Of Student Services, Decia N. Dixon

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Key stakeholders in schools must be educated about the importance of increasing access to mental health services in schools. School-based mental health services are designed to increase children's competence and help them meet the societal expectations of school success. The present study examined types of mental health services provided to students in school districts throughout Florida; the extent to which those services were provided to children and families; the beliefs of student services directors and supervisors regarding qualifications of school mental health service providers to provide mental health services; and their beliefs about the impact of mental health services on …

Hydrostratigraphy And Groundwater Migration Within Surficial Deposits At The North Lakes Wetland, Hillsborough County, Florida, Jason J. Laroche

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

A wetland in west-central Florida was studied to characterize the local hydrostratigraphic configuration of surficial deposits overlying more-permeable limestones and conceptualize groundwater recharge. Eight continuous cores were drilled through the surficial deposits and partially into the underlying limestone. A total of 111 samples were extracted from the cores for laboratory sediment analyses and testing. The surficial deposits are roughly eight meters thick and made up of upper and lower clean-sand hydrostratigraphic layers (S1 and S3, respectively) separated by a low-permeability layer of clayey sand (S2). Also, a discontinuous low-permeability layer of clayey sand (S4) lies between S3 and the top …

An Urban Model Of Applied Preservation, David Stewart Barksdale Butler

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

This research prioritized the identification and retention of African American cultural heritage in the face of dramatic landscape alteration associated with comprehensive redevelopment. As an approach aimed at providing the most comprehensive understanding of cultural phenomenon, the holistic tradition applied by anthropology asserts that it is productive to identify and apply as many sources of data toward engaging research as is possible. Consistent with this goal, this study applied several categories of data toward investigating material symbols of African American cultural heritage in Tampa, Florida. The holistic anthropological approach demonstrated the relevance and complementarity of research documenting cultural heritage and …

Development Of Research Platform For Unmanned Vehicle Controller Design, Evaluation, And Implementation System: From Matlab To Hardware Based Embedded System, Daniel Ernst

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Unmanned aerial vehicles and unmanned ground vehicles, or UAVs and UGVs respectively, currently perform a large variety of missions usually centered around reconnaissance. Because the platforms may vary for a particular type of mission--everything from small unmanned airplanes and remote control vehicles to large vehicles such as the Yamaha R-MAX helicopter and Hummer--flight and navigation controllers must be changed to allow proper control of the selected platform. Currently, controllers are designed and tested in MATLAB/SIMULINK, but then rewritten in C or Assembly for a specific target platform. When designing controllers in a programming language, changes are often tedious, so …

Communication For Planetary Transformation And The Drag Of Public Conversations: The Case Of Landmark Education Corporation, Patrick Owen Cannon

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

This study employs qualitative methods to: (1) compare and contrast public conversations about a complex social phenomenon with my experience of that phenomenon, and (2) explore the nature of those public conversations and their impact on planetary transformation.

This study is divided into two parts.

Part One of this dissertation compares my personal experience with Landmark Education Corporation, a private personal development company, with how it is characterized in public conversations. The public conversations chosen for analysis include: (1) an episode of the television show, Law and Order: Criminal Intent (Balcer, et al., 2003), (2) a Time Magazine article about …

A Study Of Academic Advising Satisfaction And Its Relationship To Student Self-Confidence And Worldviews, Jose E. Coll

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of the present investigation was to determine the relationship between worldview, student academic confidence, and satisfaction with advising. More specifically, this study examines the relationship among level of advising satisfaction, worldviews of students, and the student's perceived style of advising received. The findings of this study indicate that a positive relationship exists between developmental advising and advising satisfaction. The results suggest that overall student characteristics such as gender and self-confidence are not as relevant to advising satisfaction as the style of advising used by the faculty or advisor. Furthermore, this study supports findings by Coll and Zalaquett (in …

Thicknesses And Density-Current Velocities Of A Low-Aspect Ratio Ignimbrite At The Pululagua Volcanic Complex, Ecuador, Derived From Ground Penetrating Radar, John A. Petriello Jr.

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

The thinning trend of a low-aspect ratio ignimbrite (LARI) in a direction of increasing topographic relief at the Pululagua Volcanic Complex, Ecuador, is established by correlating continuous ground penetrating radar (GPR) profiles and radar reflector behavior with stratigraphic measurements and unit behavior. Minimum density-current and vertical (cross-sectional) velocity analyses of the LARIs parent pyroclastic density-current are performed by analyzing the exchange of kinetic energy for potential energy in an upslope direction. Continuous GPR profiles were acquired in a direction of increasing topographic relief with the intent of identifying the LARI within the GPR record and examining the relationships between the …

The Validation Of A Methodology For Assessing The Impact Of Hybrid Simulation Training In The Minimization Of Adverse Outcomes In Surgery, Peter J. Fabri

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

The Institute of Medicine report "To Err is Human," released in late 1999, raised the issue of human error in medicine to a new level of attention. This study examines the frequency, severity, and type (FST) of errors associated with postoperative surgical complications at a tertiary care, university-based medical center, addressing the intersection of three domains: patient safety, graduate medical education, and simulation-based training. The study develops and validates a classification system for medical error that is specific to surgery, affirming reliability internally and externally. Baseline data on the FST of errors is collected over a 12-month period. A hybrid, …

Florida's College Placement Test Reading Scores As An Essential Indicator For Successful Completion Of The Highest College Preparatory Course In Reading, Laura Dandar Smith

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to examine the predictive validity of several variables to determine if the Florida Computerized Placement Test - Reading (CPT-R) score alone, or other variables, could determine whether or not a student would successfully pass the highest level college preparatory reading course. The study examined fall sessions 1997-2004 (n=276,079) reading scores for all forms of the CPT to determine at what standard deviation below the cutoff score of 83 a student could still successfully complete the highest level college preparatory reading course.

According to the College Board, the 83 scaled score, which exempts a student …

Case Studies Of Trainers’ And Selected Teachers’ Perceptions Of An Early Reading Intervention Training Program, Cynthia Dianne Calderone

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this qualitative research study was to describe and explain the characteristics of an effective professional development model in an early intervention training program. The focus of the study was on particular aspects of literacy instruction that were emphasized during training sessions and trainer and teacher perceptions of the Accelerated Literacy Learning (ALL) program. This study examined the elements of training that two teachers chose to transfer to their classrooms, as well as modifications they chose to make, in the year following training in an effort to gain further insight into successful teacher training practices. The following research …

Identification Of The Parameters When The Density Of The Minimum Is Given, John C. Davis

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Let (X₁, X₂, X₃) be a tri-variate normal vector with a non-singular co-variance matrix ∑ , where for i ≠ j, ∑_ij < 0 . It is shown here that it is then possible to determine the three means, the three variances and the three correlation coefficients based only on the knowledge of the probability density function for the minimum variate Y = min{X₁ , X₂ , X₃ }. We will present a method for identifying the nine parameters which consists of careful determination of the asymptotic orders of various bivariate tail probabilities.

A Maslovian Approach To The Motivations Of Shakespeare’S Transvestite Heroines In The Two Gentelmen Of Verona, As You Like It, And The Merchant Of Venice, Angela Eward-Mangione

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

"Motivation" is the force that drives an individual to perform a certain action. Abraham Maslow (1908-1970), an American psychologist profoundly influenced by the existential and teleological paradigms, expounded a motivation theory that remains precise and replicable, as well as applicable to other spheres of study, including the humanities. Indeed, psychology experts and non-specialists are by and large familiar with Maslow's Pyramid of Human Needs. Moreover, despite the abundance of literary criticism that utilizes Freudian-based theory to analyze the motivations of literary characters, critics have largely neglected the use of other paradigms, including Maslow's. In this thesis, I use Maslow's texts …

Reconciliation In Mandrills (Mandrillus Sphinx), Pete Otovic

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

This study aimed to examine whether mandrills (Mandrillus sphinx) reconcile their conflicts. The data were collected from a captive group of nine mandrills (5 males and 4 females) at the Lowry Park Zoo that ranged in age from 3 to 16 years at the time of study. After a conflict was observed, the behavior of one of the two former opponents was documented for a period of ten minutes using continuous recording methods. On the next possible observation day, at the same time of the previous conflict, the behavior of the same individual was recorded for an additional ten minutes. …

The Relationship Between Parent Identified Sleep Problems, Internalizing Behaviors, Externalizing Behaviors, And Adaptive Functioning In A Pediatric Population, Kyle Marissa Popkave

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Pediatric sleep problems are among the most common pediatric health issues faced by families today. Sleep problems can have a deleterious impact on children's academics, behaviors, social-emotional development, health, and/or safety. Once sleep problems are identified and treated, many of the associated negative impacts can be ameliorated. The purpose of the current study was to examine prevalence rates of symptoms of sleep disorders in young children, and the relationship between these symptoms and various behavior problems. One hundred and four children, ages 2 to 5 years, attending a pediatric health clinic served as the participants in this study. Data on …

Is All Injustice Created Equal? Exploring The Effects Of Decision Outcome And Procedural Justice On Reactions To Injustice, Gabriel E. Lopez Rivas

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Organizational justice scholars have ignored the influence that the nature of a decision outcome has upon reactions to perceived injustice, yet research on loss aversion demonstrates that people react more strongly to situations that result in a loss than those that result in an anticipated gain failing to materialize (non-gain). Furthermore, research on regulatory focus has found that the nature of a decision outcome can itself elicit different emotions. Based on this, a cognitive appraisal model of the relationship between injustice and emotions is proposed that accounts for the effect of decision outcome. This model predicts that emotional reactions to …